The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-09-08
THE WIDOW ROUNDS.
Her Skillful Strategy and It's Sue
cessful Results.

ats a great misfortin' to me, Cousin Mi
randa, to have Becky Jane taken away JUS
now, right in the spring OF the year, wher
my plovin' and plantin' and fence buildIn' is
a-comin' on. If she had only hung out until
after my rush of work was over, Ishouldn't
have complained; but Becky Jane never did
have no calculation or fOrethought. tt
think that she should drop off and leave me
with both pair of twins down with the
mumps, and everything in the house goin
to destructionl o, dearI l really don'r
know what am goin' to do!" and Timothy
Gee groaned dismally.
"Doi" answered Cousin Miranda, sharp
~. "Jest step your whinin' and gruntin'
and hunt youu a smart, stirrin' woman, thai
is caperble of doin' all your work, besides
Iookin' after the children. There are &
plenty of sech 20 be found"
"I don't know, Cousin Miranda" said
Timothy, dolefully, II guess it will be pesky
hard gettin' woman that will take Becky
James place in this 'ere house. She was the
prudentest, savingest of all my three com
panions that have preceded me to better
land. And she shall have her reward. I've
picked cut bootiful tombstone of a marble
angel with soarin' wings. for her; and she
deserves it. Poor Becky Jane! o Lord
o, dearl"
''For goodness sake, Timothy, do stop that
sniveling, or you will drive me crazy.
amt got no patience with man that will
make perfect scrub and slave of his wife,
and never allow her cent she can call her
OWN. When Becky Jane died, she didn't
have decent dress to her back, or thing
In the house like other folks. l couldn't
even find knife with a handle to it, or a
plate but what was cracked; and, now she
is dead and gone, s'pose you are tryin' to
ease your conscience by settin' up high
priced monument over her cold clay. o, ]
Just wish I had been in your wife's place,
Timothy Gee. II / wouldn't have learned
you a thing or twow and Cousin Miranda
paused from sheer lack of breath.
"Well, / do snumn and Timothy opened
his little, ferret-like eyes to their very
widest extent. "What a dretful unfortinit
man your husband must be. It's a wonder
he's livin'i II 1 had merried sech long
tongued female I should have been dead
years ago"
tI amt sure but you would" snapped
Cousin Miranda. 'But you needn't trouble
yours If about me or mine Think of your
self, and them poor, sufferin' children. I've
left my own home to come here and set
things to rights, afore you brought house
keeper, and give you until tomorrow night
10 pervide sech person; then 1 start, bag
and baggage"
81 am sure don't know where I'm goin'
to find the right kind of a woman. /
wouldn't hev rattle-headed, shifIless gal.
nor a cacklin' old maid; and widders-Pve
hearn tell that widders was unlucky. Ny
pncle Sam married wilder, and he died
the same year," and Timothy sighed mourn
fully.
''Well, as jest said, will give you an
other day to look around in, and then shall
have to leave, anyway" And Miranda
went out Of the room, closing the door care
fully behind her.
For a long time Timothy sat gazing dis
consolately out Of the window. The pros
poet before him was not very agreeable
one
1T does seem as if am afflicted worse
than Job, (" he muttered aloud. "For we
amt got no account Of Jobs bein' left a
widderer, or children havin' mumps in
them days; and what I've put up with from
that old cat Of a Miranda, s-seein' her waste
nnd destroy, and"
''What is that you are sayin', Timothyr'
asked Miranda, suspiciously, IS she came
suddenly into the room.
s.Nothin', Miranda, !" he answered, hastily,
stnothin'. 1 was jest a-sayin' to myself as
how that hoped it wouldn't storm to
morrer."
''Well, I've got some good news to tell
you. Miss Black was Jest in here, and she
knows Of splendid housekeeper that's
lookin' for q place. The Widder Rounds,
l.. A.
"a widder" gssped Timothy.
"a likely, prudent woman; and, if Won
arc lucky enough to get her, you may thank
tne, for never did see man display so
little energy. She is visitin' up to Miss
Blacks this afternoon, and if you go up
nuick, you can engage her before she goes
home. Now, do be spry."
''Spryr' snarled Timothy. "Doyou s'pose
man that has been slim all winter, and
has got the rumatiz in both of his two legs
Is agoin' to fly round like spring pullet.
for emmy widder livin'. Not by jugfull ~
swell, if you amt the most aggravatin'est
mani / amt got no patience with sech a
slow coach; but, for the sake OF them poor
children, am goin' to take this matter in
hand myself"
Hastily donning an old-fashioned. purple
and-white quilted hood, the energetic Mi
randa sailed forth in search of house
keeper for Timothy. When she returned,
m hour later, she was accompanied by the
Widow Rounds, a tall, thin woman, with
IN aggressive nose, and swapping blac.
eyes.
Here's the widder, Timothy" said
Cousin Miranda, by way of introduction
'Tve told her jest how you are situated
and she thinks she can come and STAY q
spell. And now, while you two are LAWN
your plans, I'll go out and feed the pig, foI
he might squeal till doomsday before
Timothy would think of him"
There was an embarrassing silence
Timothy racked his brain for something tC
say, ana twisted uneasily in his chair. Al
last, brilliant idea seemed TO strike him
and his countenance frightened
''Mis' Rounds he began, and wiped hi:
face with big, red handkerchief this i:
dretful tryin' weather for slim people YoU
are gettin' old, and l s'pose you have you
slim feelin' daysr'
mo-" answered the widow, shortly
s'That is-rm hardly ever sick,n she added
in milder tone, as she thought of Tim
othy's broad acres.
Its dretful hard to have Becky Jan,
drop OF jest now. shall never find an
other partner Like her. not il I hunt